Billy Jukes, Lost Boy Continued
by amyjane0511
Summary: Based on Fox's Peter Pan and the Pirates - this is my version of what happened at the end of the episode "Billy Jukes, Lost Boy" - in which Jukes saves Robert Mullins from the deadly Neverfever. To do so he has to jump ship (against the Captain's orders). Jukes was my crush when I was a kid, but I am being a bit mean to him and Mullins in this story!
1. a touch of the cat

**Billy Jukes, Lost Boy continued.**

The scrap with Peter and the Lost Boys over Hook commanded the crew return to the long-boats. Not a word passed between Mullins and Jukes - Robert was trying to come up with a good way to say "thank you for saving my life" and Billy was just pleased everything had worked out okay. He had even made a friend in Slightly which made it a pretty exceptional day.

Once back on board the crew were surprised to be given the order to line up, but they did so. No one fought with Hook, it wasn't worth it, as many of their long-dead crew-mates would testify - if they could.

In a voice dripping with honey Hook told Mullins and Jukes to step forward.

"So, today two of my valuable crew-members decided to jump ship, to leave without my express permission. By rights I should hang the two of you by the yard-arm. Robert Mullins, let's hear your excuses first," he ordered.

"Well ummm...yes Captain Sir! I was sick with that Neverfever stuff, I would never intentionally leave the Roger!"

"And you are feeling better now Robert? Able to resume all your piracy duties?" Hook's voice was calm but something made Mullins feel uneasy. This was going somewhere bad, he just knew it.

"Yes Captain, back to 100 percent health and strength".

"I'm so glad, so very glad. And what about you Jukes? What is your poor excuse?"

The cabin boy took a deep breath before facing up to his Captain.

"Sir, I only left to help Robert. I planned to return once he was well, but he couldn't of been left on his own with that illness."

"Mr Jukes, I gave express orders for you not to leave the ship yet you purposely disobeyed me! With no illness as an excuse for your actions I'm afraid some form of punishment is in order!"

Robert and Billy gaped at their Captain. It was Alf Mason who spoke up,

"Begging your pardon Captain but the lad was only trying to help Mullins. He was being a good shipmate - like he's been taught".

"Good point Mr Mason. In light of that opinion I am willing to reduce the punishment from hanging to 3 strikes of the Cat. However I am weary and as Mr Mullins here has reassured me he is back to top form I think I will let him deliver the blows. I'll just take a seat and watch."

"No! I won't do it - you can't make me hurt him because he helped me!" Robert was shocked to his core, he was unable to hurt the boy he secretly thought of as his son at the best of times. And now he owed him his life. Hitting him with the cat-o-nine-tails was unthinkable.

"You disobey me Robert Mullins?" Hook purred.

"Yes Captain, I do".

"Fine then, we'll make it 4 strokes of the Cat. Please get started - it's nearly dinner time and I grow hungry."

"Four?" whispered Robert, who was truly beginning to think he was trapped in some horrendous nightmare.

"Four! Unless you feel like arguing some more, as it can always be five."

Robert felt a hand on his arm and turned to look at his young friend.

"It doesn't matter Robert, and it's only going to get worse. Let's just get it over and done with." Billy started shrugging off his top and headed for the mast so at least he had something to brace himself against.

"At least one of you has the sense to know when he's beaten...or about to be," said Hook laughing at his own joke. He threw the Cat to Robert who caught it and stared helplessly at the smooth dark skin on Billy's back.

"I can't. I just can't."

Again Mason spoke up, moving across the deck towards Jukes as he did so.

"Get it over quickly shipmate," he called over his shoulder to Robert. He knelt on the opposite side of the mast to Jukes and placed his large, calloused hands over Billy's.

"Keep your eyes on me lad and be strong. You are such a good kid."

Billy gave Alf a small smile and closed his eyes as he heard Robert taking up position behind him.

4 times the Cat flew through the air and flayed Billy's back. He whimpered and sobbed quietly but tried to ensure he wasn't loud enough for Robert to hear. This needed to be over, and who knew what their Captain would do if Robert stopped to argue again.

After the fourth stroke Alf simply picked him up, threw him over his shoulder and raced him into the crew quarters - the world slowly dimmed as unconsciousness took over and removed the pain for just a little while.

Back on deck Robert knelt on the wooden planks. Unable to look up and choking on his own cries he barely registered the sound of his Captain approaching.

"So that is the value of friendship with Robert Mullins. The one person in this world who cared whether you lived or died today risked everything for you, and at a word from me you took the skin of his back. No wonder you are so alone. Good night".

Hook headed to his cabin, trailed by the Bo'sun, and Robert simply lay down emotionally, physically and mentally drained - and unable to bring himself to find the child who was no doubt in agony somewhere in the bowels of the ship.


	2. A chat in the dark

The dusk had given way to twilight and then full darkness before Starkey made his way on to the deck and found Mullins sitting against the mast gazing at something no one else could see.

"I say Robert, young Jukes needs you. Go and look after him."

"How can I? You saw what I did! I won't be able to even look him in the eye. The Captains right, I'm a worthless pirate and a terrible friend and I failed the only person in this universe who happens to care about me. That NeverFever should have finished me, then none of this crap would have happened."

"Old boy, he is asking for you. Alf and I have wrapped his back with bandages as best we can, actually I am surprised you didn't hear the fuss when we touched the cuts. He sounded like a banshee! Mason is currently trying to get him into a comfortable sleeping position in the forge but he won't settle and he doesn't understand why you are hiding on deck. As far as Jukes is concerned you were only following Captain's orders."

"But I shouldn't have done it. Even if it meant grabbing the lad and flinging us both overboard so we could swim to safety."

Starkey decided this required extreme action and putting on his "I know best voice" (which the crew secretly thought of as his "I'm a know-it-all wanker voice") he addressed the Brooklyn Broom Bandit,

"Robert Mullins you are being selfish! Sitting up here feeling sorry for yourself when Jukes needs you. March yourself down there right now and put on an appearance."

"But I..."

"Right Now!"

The two pirates glared at each other for a minute. Then taking a deep breath and deciding it was best to get this over and done with, Robert nodded to Starkey and went in search of his little friend.

Slowly Mullins made his way to the forge and over to the small fire place, where a few embers still burned. The boy was lying on his side, his torso wrapped in bandages, and seemingly fast asleep. He was slightly illuminated by the dying embers, which provided the only light in the room.

Despite his heartache over the events of the day Robert couldn't help but smile at the sleeping form. The spot Billy occupied was one he guarded fiercely, especially on cold nights when the forge was one of the few warm spots on the ship. The boy's reasoning was that he was the one who did all the work in that part of the vessel, therefore he got the perks of not freezing to death in his sleep.

Mason had propped Billy up so he didn't role over and end up on his damaged back. Robert lay down beside him and, thinking that his young friend was out to the world, he started to voice his inner monologue out-loud.

"The thing is, the way I am in life, I never bothered to let anyone close. Because everyone always ends up hurting you, or leaving you, or failing you. Just something! It happened so many times when I was younger Billy-boy, so I vowed I would never let it happen again. And I ran away to sea, because there you don't need to care about anyone or anything. You just survive for as long as you can, and hope when the end arrives it is in battle and not with a noose. Then we found you on that damned island, and you still haven't told me how you ended on there by the way! But you were small, and starving, and lost. So I figured what harm in teaching you a few survival tricks and piracy activities. You proved amazing lad, picking up everything I taught you and looking at me with all that admiration. I didn't deserve it, but I liked it. And I liked you, I mean I like you. I guess everyone needs someone on their side who cares. Oh Billy-boy, I'm so glad I have you in my life."

Having finished pouring his heart out Robert turned to look at his slumbering shipmate and instead found himself looking into big, brown orbs that were tired but still sparkled with warmth.

"Hi Robert,"

"Hi Billy-Boy."

"I'm glad I have you in my life too."

They smiled at each other and Mullins gently reached over and mussed Billy's hair.

"Now go to sleep Lad, and no more of this mushy nonsense. It isn't what pirates do!"

Billy closed his eyes and quickly returned to whatever dreams he was having, no doubt either firing the cannon or making something explode mused Robert. After a moment Robert also made himself comfortable and let the stress of the day melt away into blessed sleep.


End file.
